Share this article via email

1 / 1

Self-prescribed Aspirin Comes with Risks

By some estimates, more than 50 million people in the U.S. take a daily dose of aspirin. Aspirin is a blood thinner that has long been known to help patients with heart disease and those who have suffered a heart attack. Advertising Policy Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site … Read More

Share this article via email with one or more people using the form below.

Self-prescribed Aspirin Comes with Risks

Aspirin is the heart's “wonder drug” you shouldn’t self prescribe

By some estimates, more than 50 million people in the U.S. take a daily dose of aspirin. Aspirin is a blood thinner that has long been known to help patients with heart disease and those who have suffered a heart attack.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Many heart patients do aspirin therapy as prescribed by their doctors. But as more people self prescribe aspirin in an effort to be heart healthy, Steven Nissen, MD, says there are serious health risks when you take aspirin without the advice of a doctor. Dr. Nissen is Chairman of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic.

“Only those individuals who are at high risk for a heart attack benefit from taking aspirin as a preventive measure,” says Dr. Nissen. “Before taking a daily dose, you need to have a dialog with your physician about the benefits and risks of aspirin therapy.”

Dr. Nissen says the benefits of daily aspirin outweigh the risks for patients who have had a heart attack, bypass surgery or a history of coronary artery disease. For others, there has to be a cluster of risk factors for heart disease for a doctor to prescribe aspirin. These risk factors include having diabetes, being a smoker, having high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

“Once you have a cluster of risk factors, you start to look like someone who has already had a heart attack,” he explains. “But it is important for a doctor to review your case and determine that aspirin is appropriate for you.”

Talk to your doctor

Results of a study in 2012 showing that aspirin can prevent some cancers also has led to more people taking a daily dose without the recommendation of a physician. But the bottom line is “Do not take daily aspirin therapy on your own. You can’t ignore the serious health risks,” Dr. Nissen says.